


All I Want For Christmas...

by goodfairyofny, WishStone



Series: KanNao Collaborations [6]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27517282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodfairyofny/pseuds/goodfairyofny, https://archiveofourown.org/users/WishStone/pseuds/WishStone
Summary: Christmas is a very romantic affair in Japan. Dates to view brightly lit decorations, fried chicken and Christmas Cake - everybody loves this time of year! ...well, some dread it...
Relationships: Shirogane Naoto/Tatsumi Kanji
Series: KanNao Collaborations [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/853024
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	1. Introduction!

Hello everyone!

The good goodfairyofny asked me the other day if we'd not make a Christmas collaboration for our favourite dorks. And when I said I would be delighted to start one, well, things went from there!

We hope everyone will enjoy writing and reading in this colab, and that Christmas will be a calm and wonderful time for everyone.


	2. Syrup and Waffles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naoto has a big misunderstanding about her Christmas date with Kanji.

“Kanji-kun?”

“Oh, hey, Naoto.”

“I just wanted to confirm our plans for Christmas Eve,” Naoto said, shyly yet with purpose. She and Kanji had been dating for awhile now. It was part of what had influenced her decision to stay in Inaba when the case had wrapped up and the Investigation Team was no longer necessary. Souji-senpai had gone back home, the other senpais were busy studying for their entrance exams, and Rise-chan was sometimes home, sometimes off for her big comeback as an idol. Oh, and Teddie was just Teddie, still working at Junes and living with Yosuke.

That left just Naoto and Kanji. She had really considered leaving, but then he had finally gotten the nerve to ask her for a date. And she said yes. And it was wonderful in ways she never could have imagined before. 

Now it was Christmas again already, and she had nearly forgotten that she had intended to leave. 

“So, I should come to your house at 6 for dinner?” Naoto asked, making sure she was correct about their plans. Romantic involvement was still new to her and she was unsure of all the customs. This would be her first Christmas Eve date with a boy. 

“Yeah! Ma will be out that evening, she has a Christmas party with her craft group, but _mmmhhhfff fffhhhhtttt mmm_ waffles with me.”

“Kanji-kun? I think your phone is cutting out. Could you repeat that?”

“What was that, Naoto? Hey, I hear Ma calling for me, she needs help in the shop. I’ll see you tomorrow night, alright?” And with that he disconnected. Naoto’s brow furrowed. She was very confused. Were waffles traditional Christmas fare? She had heard that people around the world celebrated with different foods, but she had never heard this one before. She considered calling back for clarification, but she knew that Kanji was busy, and she wanted to seem like she was holding her own with this _girlfriend_ thing.

That’s it! She would call Rise-chan. Rise had told her that girls called one another for advice, especially about boys. Naoto usually didn’t feel the need, well, except for that one time when the whole kissing situation had begun and she wasn’t sure what to do about it. Surely this was also one of those phone-a-friend moments?

***  
 _“Hello? Naoto-kun?! Oh I missed you so much, I’m so glad you called!” Naoto was relieved by how quickly Rise answered her call._

_“Rise-chan! I have missed you as well. I am calling because I have something of a situation.”_

_“A situation? Oooohhh, with Kanji-kun?!”_

_“Well, yes actually. He said that he is making waffles for Christmas Eve dinner and I have no idea what to do. Is that something people normally eat for the holidays? What should I bring? Grandpa would normally bring along a bottle of wine to any event, but we are still underage so I thought I would bring something related to the meal. But waffles? I have no idea what I am doing, Rise-chan!”_

_“Woah, slow down, Naoto! Are you crying?” Rise asked._

_“Of course not!” Naoto said tearfully._

_“Calm down, Naoto-kun. I promise you can’t mess this up. Waffles are not your typical Christmas meal, but that’s alright! Just bring something you put on waffles!”_

_“O-Oh, that’s a good idea. I know that some people like to put fruit on waffles, but Kanji-kun is pretty health conscious so he would already have thought of that. And he likes to bake, so he would also have powdered sugar on hand.”_

_“That’s true. You’re on the right track though. How about syrup?”_

_“Syrup! I didn’t even think of that, Rise-chan! That’s a brilliant idea. Thank you so much for your help.”_

_“Mmm hmm. Call me the next day with all the sticky details of your date, Naoto-kun! Have fun!”_

_Naoto stood frozen in place as Rise disconnected. “Sticky details?” She shuddered at the thought of how Rise would grill her about the date the next day. Asking for help always came with a price._

***

Naoto was relieved to finally have a plan. She shopped that evening and purchased the finest syrup she could find in Inaba. Kanji would be pleased, and that made her smile. She had also purchased him a cozy cashmere sweater. He was always knitting warm things for everyone else but tended to forget about himself. She decided that he deserved something of fine quality that he didn’t have to make for himself. She gift wrapped it nicely, tying a box of animal crackers to the top of the package with a ribbon. Naoto went to bed smiling at how well she had done preparing for her first Christmas date.

***

When Naoto arrived at Kanji’s house the next evening, he greeted her warmly, pulling her in for a hug. It had taken a while for her to get used to affection, and for him to become less awkward about it, but now it made her smile softly. She took in his scent which always felt comforting, as well as some delicious meaty smell coming from the kitchen. Did people normally put meat on waffles? Naoto had never heard of this.

It was then that Naoto noticed a yellow striped kitten peeking at her from the arm of the sofa. “Oh,” she said in surprise. “I had forgotten that you got a cat.”

Kanji frowned at her for just a moment, then replied enthusiastically. “Yeah! He’s so sweet and cuddly!” Kanji’s expression became confused. “I thought I told you yesterday that Mr. Waffles would be with me.” Then Kanji smiled again. “Oh well! Now you know!”

He reached out to stroke the kitten’s face as it purred. Naoto felt horror in the pit of her stomach. What an enormous mistake she had made! The kitten reached a tiny paw toward her. She held her hand out and it bumped its tiny head into her palm affectionately. 

It was then that Naoto decided she was going to be alright. Kanji wouldn’t laugh at her for making a mistake. “Well, it seems I had a bit of a misunderstanding over the phone,” she said, handing him the bottle of syrup. Naoto herself began to laugh at his perplexed expression. “I thought you said you were making waffles for Christmas dinner.”

“Oh!” Kanji exclaimed and smiled at her. “Huh, that actually would have been a fun meal. Hopefully you like turkey though, because that’s what we’re having!”

“Yes, turkey is fine, and it smells wonderful. I feel a bit ridiculous though. I don’t think syrup would taste very good on turkey.”

“No worries!” Kanji said cheerfully. “I bet it will taste great with the vanilla ice cream I was planning for dessert. We can warm it up!” He placed his arm around her shoulders and led her to the kitchen where he had prepared a lovely meal for them. 

Afterward, they cuddled up on the couch to watch a movie. “This was a really wonderful holiday, wasn’t it Mr. Waffles?” she asked the kitten as he purred between them.

***

The following year, and every Christmas Eve after, Kanji always served her waffles. It became their own special holiday tradition. Mr. Waffles thought it was weird, but he mostly preferred tuna anyway.


	3. Holiday Planning

“I… I blanked on it!”

Naoto Shirogane sat thunderstruck at her large desk in her family manor, her wide eyes no longer seeing the young woman wearing a perfect three-piece suit in front of her. Yakushiji had to resort waving her clipboard up and down to catch her employer’s attention.

“What? Oh… Yakushiji-san, what should I do?? I made no plans at all, I didn’t even get my husband a gift!” Naoto jumped to her feet, running a hand through her short hair with obvious distress.

Her secretary, however, was cool as a winter breeze. “Shirogane-sama, you have been married for three years now. And this panic of yours is nothing new. Who di you think I am?” Yakushiji slipped the clipboard under her arm and adjusted her tie. “I have taken the liberty, based on notes taken in the last seven weeks, to already procure tonight’s menu, entertainment, and gifts for your husband.”

Naoto whipped around as Yakushiji took her clipboard back into her hands, flipping a page and presenting it to her desk, before she picked up her lightweight laptop from the desk. “You… have already arranged everything?”

A small smile tucked at the corners the other woman. “Have you never noticed how your Grandfather never misses any important dates? My family has always looked out for these things for yours, Shirogane-sama. Many of your own gifts were bought by my father or me. It really is quite natural that we have these skills.” The smile was nor fully gone when she turned and regarded her employer. “Should we resume the morning’s briefing, then?”

“Yes,” the blunette mumbled as she went behind her desk once more, “certainly….”

The secretary unlocked her laptop where she stood and continued. “So, as mentioned, today is December twenty-fourth. Most staff will have a half-day; while the agency will close down at two in the afternoon. Yamashito requested that we stay open as late as possible, as he is waiting for a report from the Guma prefecture police still.”

This seemed to smack the Shirogane Agency heir’s mind back into the game. With a worried frown she asked, “Is he still having issues with that case?”

“That I do not know, but he did promise a full status report if we left the local agency office open past noon today.” As Naoto started hammering her keyboard to take her own notes, the woman on the other side of her desk resumed. “Staff remaining in-house are, as in previous years requested, only volunteers at double pay. And I have indeed discouraged anyone who would have a significant other to spend tonight with.”

“Naoto smiled, the fingers on her keyboard stilling. “That was Kanji’s demand the first time I asked him to spend Christmas here with me…”

“Indeed, and we continue to honour his request.” Yakushiji nodded and her eyes ran over her screen. “As such, at hand will be I myself, my father, two of the junior chefs, two of the ground’s guards, and one of the maids.”

Naoto nodded. Since the old man’s wife had passed away four years ago, Yakushiji-Senior always stayed here. He still saw himself as her Grandfather’s servant, even if all signs pointed to the friendship of the two older men.

“Then,” the man’s daughter in front of Naoto resumed, “tonight’s menu will, as has become tradition, be the Tatsumi spice-blend _karaage_. One of our chefs is en-route to Tatsumi-sama’s home town right now, to prepare a batch at the festivities of his mother. Which reminds me, you and your husband are expected there on new years, meaning the chef will remain in Inaba and prepare _osechi-ryōri_ under direction of Tatsumi-sama.”

“That is a lot of overtime… doesn’t he have family to celebrate with himself?”

“Oh, he will prepare the _osechi_ , but he will travel home for the New Year. It’s been all arranged, Shirogane-sama.” Yakushiji looked back down on her laptop. “At around lunch, I will kick you out of your office and lock it. Just like last year.” The woman gacve her a meaningful look over her screen before she looked down and continued. “Lunch will be served in the winter garden by your husband this year, and I will make sure you are punctual. Dinner will be at seven in the family dining room. After dinner is served, the chef and maid will be free for the rest of the night. I will, of course, remain at hand.”

“Yakushiji-san… if you _had_ a date. Would you tell me? Or, well, would you take the day off?” Naoto looked at her secretary and, in all honesty, her bodyguard. “I appreciate your dedication to your job, but you should not neglect yourself.”

The younger woman glanced up, then shut her laptop and tucked it under an arm. “I have days off, just like any other employee. I do go out with friends at times, Shirogane-sama. And I have had a date here and there. But my partner would need to be able to fit both into this household and into my life as I wish to lead it. That is to say,” she added with a small smirk, “I was born to be at your side. And there is a good chance my own children will be born to be at the side of yours.” Both woman shared a small smile. “But until such a specimen is found, I am going to resume my life as I wish to lead it – by your and your husband’s side.” She looked at her wristwatch. “Speaking of him, I will have to run some errands for him before lunch can be prepared. As such, if you’ll excuse me.”

Naoto nodded as her secretary bowed herself out of the room.

Her eyes wandered over the solid wood desk before her. Modern keyboards and computer screens clashed with stacks of paper folders. A set of picture frames stood on one corner; her parents and Grandfather on one, herself and Kanji on another, and finally Kanji holding their new-born son back home right out of the hospital. His name was spelled differently, but he, too, was a Naoto. Kanji had insisted and her Grandfather had ganged up with Kanji’s mother to end all discussion on it. Her win was that the next one, in a year or so perhaps, would be named by only her.

A notification showed that Yamashito’s report just came in via email, but she stood and turned to look outside the window. Fresh snow was falling, and Naoto thought that she might have time for a walk outside with her family after lunch. It would be a nice start to the most romantic of nights of the year.

She had gotten better at ‘switching her brain off’, as Kanji had called it. While she still sometimes thought about working till late at night, having Kanji live here now did put a stop to that frequently. He also had a much healthier relationship with work. After he had successfully launched Tatsumi-ya as a franchise and now managed several stores, he had started to look much more at the time he spent at work, the time _she_ spent at work, and had started to re-arrange their days. Naoto was allowed a work phone, whose number was only known to the heads of her four branch offices. If they called her, they knew it had to be important, or they could face serious trouble. And Kanji, in turn, did the same. From five in the afternoon until seven in the morning, both agreed to not check work things – outside of such calls.

It had freed their time up considerably, so that by the time little Naoto arrived, they had managed to create time and space for a family.

Tonight, however, would be for her and him, only.

Tonight…

“Oh no,” Naoto suddenly sighted. “I forgot to ask Yakushiji what our plans for tonight actually are…” With a chuckle she sat back down. “Well, I will just treat it as a surprise then. Nothing we will do can be bad if my hus…”

Naoto trailed off, as her eyes fall on the email and she switched back into working mode. She only had until noon, after all. She best made this count.


End file.
